The Future of Supply Chain – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this week's episode, we explore why the future of manufacturing is in the cloud, how hybrid architectures, AI, and edge are transforming plants, and what leaders must do on security, data, and people to succeed.

Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript⁠⁠⁠

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This week, alongside IBM’s Shaun Mitra, we explore why modern manufacturing should be in the cloud. We discuss how hybrid cloud and edge architectures facilitate real-time, data-driven plants, and the roles of AI, digital twins, and Industry 4.0. Additionally, Shaun shares insights on cybersecurity, data governance, workforce upskilling, and practical steps for manufacturers to start their cloud journey.

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Guest 1: Shaun Mitra, Partner, Manufacturing & Enterprise Asset Management, IBM

Shaun Mitra is a Partner at IBM, responsible for Manufacturing and Supply Chain Transformation. With over 25 years of experience, Shaun has led large-scale global ERP and digital manufacturing transformations for complex industrial organizations. He specializes in SAP S/4HANA RISE, Digital Manufacturing, PLM systems and Industry 4.0, enabling clients to modernize operations, optimize assets, and scale globally.

Shaun has successfully delivered multi-region transformation programs for global enterprises including Shell, Air Products and Chemicals, INEOS, Saint-Gobain, and Valmont Industries, driving measurable improvements in operational efficiency, supply chain performance, and asset reliability

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Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP

⁠⁠Richard Howells⁠⁠ has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

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Show Links:

IBM: https://www.ibm.com/us-en

Shaun Mitra: LinkedIn

Supply Chain Management: 

⁠⁠SAP Supply Chain Management⁠⁠ 

⁠⁠SAP Insights: Supply Chain⁠⁠  

Follow Us on Social Media  

Richard Howells: ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠X⁠⁠  

SAP Digital Supply Chain: ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠  

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes! 

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Chapters: 

00:00:00: Intro

00:00:57: Guest introduction

00:01:35: Why manufacturers resisted the cloud and what changed

00:04:02: Cloud platforms across design, production, and maintenance

00:07:27: Embedding AI, digital twins, Industry 4.0

00:09:57: Cybersecurity and data governance in the cloud

00:11:36: People, upskilling, and change management

00:14:49: Five practical steps to start a cloud journey

00:16:58: Factory of the future: mostly autonomous and data-driven

00:18:12: How the SAP–IBM partnership supports cloud manufacturing

00:19:14: What's the future of the supply chain?

00:19:58: Outro

In this week’s episode Richard and SAP’s Dominik Metzger explore how Agentic AI, simulations and data fabrics redefine supply chain orchestration, turning disruption into advantage and reshaping roles, networks and operating models for 2026 and beyond

Download the ⁠⁠⁠episode transcript⁠⁠

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This week we, together with SAP’s Dominik Metzger, dive into the role of AI and orchestration in the supply chain of 2026 and beyond. Dominik explains how Agentic AI, persona based assistants and simulations help sense risk, model scenarios and execute responses across functions. The conversation covers data strategy, business data fabrics, end tier visibility, quantum computing and Agentic AI.

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Guest 1: Dominik Metzger, President & Chief Product Officer, Supply Chain Management, SAP

 Dominik Metzger is President, Chief Product Officer for SAP’s Supply Chain Management organization, overseeing a global Line of Business (LoB). This organization is focused on SAP’s comprehensive portfolio of products across the entire Design-to-Operate process coupled with the SAP Business Network solutions that drive efficient, agile, resilient and sustainable supply chains for customers. His product responsibilities encompass the design, product management, engineering, marketing and go-to-market functions. 

Dominik has over 18 years of experience in the Supply Chain field, with a strong background in consulting, product management and go-to-market responsibilities. Prior to taking on his current role, Dominik led the SAP Digital Supply Chain product organisation. He joined SAP in 2020 to lead the company’s Industry 4.0 initiative and quickly took on additional responsibilities as the Head of Product Management for Manufacturing and Industrial IoT. 

Before joining SAP, Dominik lived in New York City where he was a Managing Director for the implementation partner Westernacher Consulting. Prior to his time in the US, Dominik worked as a Solution Architect for Digital Supply Chain solutions in Singapore (for 4 years) and Germany. Throughout his career in Consulting, he successfully led and delivered numerous digital transformation projects across various industries including Automotive, Chemicals, Consumer Products, Logistics Service Providers, IM&C and Retail. These projects spanned multiple regions, including Europe and Asia. 

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Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP

⁠⁠Richard Howells⁠⁠ has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

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Show Links:

Supply Chain Management: 

⁠SAP Supply Chain Management⁠ 

⁠SAP Insights: Supply Chain⁠  

Follow Us on Social Media  

Richard Howells: ⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠X⁠  

SAP Digital Supply Chain: ⁠LinkedIn⁠  

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes! 

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Chapters: 

00:00:00: Intro

00:01:21: Guests' Introductions

00:01:43: Entering 2026: Top Priorities for Supply Chain Leaders

00:05:06: End‑Tier Visibility, Risk Sensing, and Impact Analysis

00:11:01: Agentic Workflows: Multiple AI Assistants Collaborating

00:17:10: Data Foundations: Ownership, Quality, and Business Context

00:22:43: 2026 and Beyond: Agentic AI, Quantum Computing, and Physical AI

00:26:53: What is the Future of Supply Chain?

In this insightful episode, join hosts Richard and Oyku as they welcome cybersecurity expert Gabriele Fiata from SAP to discuss how supply chains are evolving in the face of increasing cyber threats. As supply chains grow faster and more complex, security can no longer be an afterthought – it must be built into systems like ERP from the ground up. Gabriele highlights the shift towards a shared responsibility model in cloud security, emphasizing collaboration between businesses, vendors, and partners. With threats escalating, AI-powered detection and automated defenses are becoming critical tools to spot breaches before they happen. The conversation also reveals how companies are embracing new mindsets and training people to be the first line of defense, turning a potential weak point into a strength. Tune in to hear how smart planning and resilience can protect your business and keep supply chains moving smoothly. Don’t miss this chance to learn from real-world insights and a recent IDC study that quantifies the high value of these new security approaches.

Listen now and discover how securing the supply chain can secure your future.

Thought leader with a strong background in security as well as business processes, controls, and enterprise risk management.

For more than 20 years, he has been leading teams in implementing innovative process improvements to identify and mitigate risks to promote resilience for the whole enterprise and enable overall business growth.

Gabriele Fiata: LinkedIn

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.

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• The $8.9M reason to implement SAP Cloud ERP
• The Business Value of Enhancing Security and Resiliency with SAP Cloud ERP Private

Related SAP Pages

• SAP Supply Chain Management
• RISE with SAP cloud operations
• Discover the SAP Cloud ERP Trust Center Page
• Join the new annual SAP Connect event in person or virtually.

Follow Us on Social Media

• Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X
• Oyku Ilgar: SAP Community, LinkedIn
• SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn  

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!

Connected, composable, and cloud-based… all vital traits to a modern-day supply chain in the face of navigating disruptions.  On this week’s episode, SAP’s Guy Clutton-Diesen joins us to discuss how visibility across your ecosystem, collaboration within your network, and Embedded and Generative AI can increase resilience across your ecosystem to better anticipate a disrupted demand chain. 

Come join us as we discuss the Future of Supply Chain. 

Guy Clutton-Diesen has a background in supply chains, setting up distribution networks across Asia for publishing companies before joining SAP in 2010. Since then, Guy has supported strategic customers across Europe and Asia with digital transformations of their operations and supply chains management. Recently completing an EMBA in Shipping and Logistics, Guy is an expert on supply chain networks and planning strategies who believes in the power of global diversity and globalization to solve complex problems and drive new growth.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Nicole Smythe has been with SAP for almost 4 years now but has been working in the supply chain space for over 6 years through various field experiences.  With a Master’s degree specializing in Global Supply Chain Management, Nicole hopes to bring a fresh, new perspective to the space with her active marketing contributions, blogs, and now podcasts, focusing on topics like sustainability, market trends, and emerging technology.

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Learn more about how to support supply chain agility at scale & how to future-proof your business.

• SAP Supply Chain Management
• SAP Insights: Supply Chain
• SAP IBP Delivers Risk-Resilience with Swift Supply Smartness
• SAP Supply Chain Management: Supply Chain Planning
• SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference Orlando

Follow Us on Social Media

• Guy Clutton-Diesen: LinkedIn
• Richard Howells: LinkedIn & X
• Nicole Smythe: LinkedIn & X
• SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn & X

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!

Technology is the true MVP pulling the strings in almost every aspect of our lives, and the supply chain is no exception. We’re talking about cutting-edge technologies – AI, Internet of Things, blockchain and robotics – that are taking the supply chain to a whole new level of efficiency, transparency, flexibility and sustainability to handle whatever the future brings.

And you know what? AI is the superhero in this technology saga, simplifying and speeding things up, especially in the supply chain. In this podcast episode, Carlos Portillo explains what types of AI there are and how they can be used in and improve the supply chain.

Come join us as we discuss the Future of Supply Chain.

Carlos is Global Product Marketing Lead responsible for the Artificial Intelligence in Cloud ERP Go-to-Market Strategy, Messaging, and Thought Leadership.  With a robust academic foundation in Operational Research and over 24 years of professional experience, he has honed his expertise in business process optimization across diverse sectors such as supply chain, manufacturing, operations, and sustainability. This extensive background aligns perfectly with his current role, allowing him to effectively drive innovation and elevate the strategic positioning of AI in Cloud ERP.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Sin has more than fifteen years of experience in the digital media industry and technology sector in the field of marketing, business development, thought leadership, and as a contributing editor. In 2019, she joined SAP’s digital supply chain team to drive thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s supply chain solutions, emerging market trends, and sustainability.

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• SAP Digital Supply Chain
• SAP Business AI in Supply Chain
• Why Generative AI Is A Game Changer For Supply Chains
• What is artificial intelligence?
• What is generative AI?

Follow Us on Social Media

• Carlos Portillo: LinkedIn
• Richard Howells: LinkedIn & X
• Sin To: LinkedIn & X
• SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn & X

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!

Robert Thiele is a vice president strategic alliances, Americas at TeamViewer, a market leading global provider of remote connectivity and workplace digitalization solutions. TeamViewer provides SAP Endorsed Apps that empower companies to change the way they work and enable Industry 4.0 and supply chain optimization through Augmented Reality and a digitally connected workforce.

Robert has 15 years of experience working with SAP customers in North and South America in leading positions at OpenText and StreamServe before joining TeamViewer in 2021. He was featured in numerous episodes of the SAP Radio/Audible podcast “Coffee Break with Game Changers” addressing game-changing industry trends and innovations in the areas of business strategy, digital technologies, customer engagement, and the impacts of a changing workforce.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Nicole Smythe has been with SAP for almost 4 years now but has been working in the supply chain space for over 6 years through various field experiences.  With a Master’s degree specializing in Global Supply Chain Management, Nicole hopes to bring a fresh, new perspective to the space with her active marketing contributions, blogs, and now podcasts, focusing on topics like sustainability, market trends, and emerging technology.

Download Transcript

Learn more about how augmented reality can shape your digital supply chains & how to future-proof your business.

• SAP Supply Chain Management
• SAP Insights: Supply Chain
• TeamViewer Integration with SAP – Demo
• TeamViewer: Remote Access & Support You Can Trust
• TeamViewer Frontline & SAP
• TeamViewer Unveils Real-Time Assistance App for Apple Vision Pro

Follow Us on Social Media

• Robert Thiele: LinkedIn
• Richard Howells: LinkedIn & X
• Nicole Smythe: LinkedIn & X
• SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn & X

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!

The future is in the present as seen through the emerging innovations in the factories of today.  EY’s Daniel Minotti and Brannon Lockhart join us on the series to explore how technologies are transforming the way companies manufacture their goods, collaborate within their network, and attract the next generation of workers. 

Come join us as we discuss the Future of Supply Chain. 

As an EY Americas Partner, Dan manages a client portfolio consisting of leading branded consumer packaged goods, food, and agribusiness companies.  Dan focuses on educating leaders on the role of emerging technologies and developing a business-led transformation strategy to optimize and grow their business.

Dan has a BS degree from The Ohio State University in Mechanical Engineering.

Brannon Lockhart is a Manager at EY and he is the SAP Lead at the Nottingham Spirk Innovation Hub in Cleveland. Brannon has been with the firm for 5 years and has over 16 years experience of industry experience centered around Plant Maintenance and SAP.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Nicole Smythe has been with SAP for almost 4 years now but has been working in the supply chain space for over 6 years through various field experiences.  With a Master’s degree specializing in Global Supply Chain Management, Nicole hopes to bring a fresh, new perspective to the space with her active marketing contributions, blogs, and now podcasts, focusing on topics like sustainability, market trends, and emerging technology.

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Learn more about how design plays a crucial role in your holistic supply chain transformation & how to future-proof your business.

• SAP Supply Chain Management
• SAP Insights: Supply Chain
• SAP Supply Chain Management: Manufacturing
• EY-Nottingham Spirk Innovation Hub
• EY-Nottingham Spirk Innovation Hub opens in Cleveland, Ohio
• Unleash Extraordinary – Inside EY- Nottingham Spirk Innovation Hub
• Request a Session

Follow Us on Social Media

• Daniel Minotti: LinkedIn
• Brannon Lockhart: LinkedIn
• Richard Howells: LinkedIn & X
• Nicole Smythe: LinkedIn & X
• SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn & X

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!

Why wait until 2050 to transform your company’s sustainability initiatives and efforts? SAP’s Mike Censurato joins us to discuss what companies can begin doing today – such as implementing sustainable operations throughout their full supply chain – to not only better their own carbon footprint, but society, as a whole.

Come join us as we discuss the Future of Supply Chain.

Mike is global Solution Manager for the SAP Environment Health and Safety applications. He is located in North America and has responsibility for EHS solution strategy, go-to-market activities, sales support, and partner channel support. Altogether, Mike has 25 years of experience related to design, development, and implementation of SAP EHS and Sustainability software solutions.

Prior to moving into the Solution Management group in 2016, Mike worked in SAP Services as a practice lead, application consultant, and project manager for implementation projects across multiple industries.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Nicole Smythe has been with SAP for almost 4 years now but has been working in the supply chain space for over 6 years through various field experiences.  With a Master’s degree specializing in Global Supply Chain Management, Nicole hopes to bring a fresh, new perspective to the space with her active marketing contributions, blogs, and now podcasts, focusing on topics like sustainability, market trends, and emerging technology.

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Learn more about sustainable operations & how to future-proof your business:

• SAP Supply Chain Management
• SAP Insights: Supply Chain
• SAP Business AI in Supply Chain
• SAP Supply Chain Management: Sustainable Supply Chains
• Request a Demo

Follow Us on Social Media

• Mike Censurato: LinkedIn
• Richard Howells: LinkedIn & X
• Nicole Smythe: LinkedIn & X
• SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn & X

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!

Almost all supply chains start in the same place – design.  This, often, overshadowed part of the holistic system can become one of the top drivers for growth, innovation, and transformation.  SAP’s Sean Laughlin joins us to discuss how companies can seamlessly integrate beyond their ecosystem to make better decisions for their business and incorporate the newest trends in technology for faster innovation. 

Come join us as we discuss the Future of Supply Chain. 

Sean Laughlin has been working in the R&D and Engineering arena for over 30 years leveraging his engineering education as a design engineer, presales evangelist and solution manager. Sean has been with SAP for 17 years, the last 4 years within the Product Marketing organization serving as a PLM expert focused on the topics of PLM for process and discrete industries, CAD data management, product costing and many other areas of the SAP PLM portfolio.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Nicole Smythe has been with SAP for almost 4 years now but has been working in the supply chain space for over 6 years through various field experiences.  With a Master’s degree specializing in Global Supply Chain Management, Nicole hopes to bring a fresh, new perspective to the space with her active marketing contributions, blogs, and now podcasts, focusing on topics like sustainability, market trends, and emerging technology.

Download Transcript

Learn more about how design plays a crucial role in your holistic supply chain transformation & how to future-proof your business. 

• SAP Supply Chain Management
• SAP Insights: Supply Chain
• SAP: Supply Chain Management: Product Lifecycle Management
• Servitization in Manufacturing: New services Drive Growth, Profits
• Design – Interactive Digital Experience – Video
• Request a Demo

Follow Us on Social Media

• Sean Laughlin: LinkedIn
• Richard Howells: LinkedIn & X
• Nicole Smythe: LinkedIn & X
• SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn & X

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!

You know the saying… new year, new predictions?  That’s right – SAP’s Michael O’Donnell joins us to discuss the trends, patterns, and predictions we see driving digital supply chain transformation in 2024, diving into the exponential growth of Gen AI, the power of risk resiliency, and the demand for sustainability visibility across networks. 

Come join us as we discuss the Future of Supply Chain.

As the Head of Digital Supply Chain for SAP North America, Michael is responsible for customer success, go-to-market strategy, and core operations in pipeline development, demand management, and business growth. In close collaboration with customers, partners, and the vast SAP ecosystem, Michael is dedicated to transforming how businesses manage supply chains for a more risk-resilient, sustainable future.

Prior to this role, Michael served as National Vice President of the Utilities Practice at SAP North America, driving meaningful customer outcomes, designing strategy, fostering team development, and managing the overall success of the practice. Throughout his 23 years at SAP, Michael has consistently championed the voice of the customer to ensure a clear path to value realization early in the customer journey and that the continuous evolution of the SAP portfolio supports customers as they make their transition to the cloud.

An active voice for sustainability, Michael serves as an advisor to the board of Smart Energy Water, Alert Enterprise, and DataVisor. He serves on the executive advisory panel for CS Week and is involved with the board of directors for Western Energy Institute.  Michael is a graduate of North Carolina State University and lives outside Philadelphia with his wife Leslee and their three daughters. He is an avid golfer, runner, reader, and technology enthusiast – always on the lookout for what’s next.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Nicole Smythe has been with SAP for almost 4 years now but has been working in the supply chain space for over 6 years through various field experiences.  With a Master’s degree specializing in Global Supply Chain Management, Nicole hopes to bring a fresh, new perspective to the space with her active marketing contributions, blogs, and now podcasts, focusing on topics like sustainability, market trends, and emerging technology.

Download Transcript

Learn more about how supply chain plays a differentiating role in your digital transformation & how to future-proof your business. 

• SAP Supply Chain Management
• SAP Insights: Supply Chain
• Supply Chain Predictions 2024: AI, Sustainability Top Of Mind
• Supply Chain Trends 2024: GenAI Is Backbone Of Risk Resiliency

Follow Us on Social Media

• Michael O’Donnell: LinkedIn
• Richard Howells: LinkedIn & X
• Nicole Smythe: LinkedIn & X
• SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn & X

Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!